Campaigns Make Final Push to Win Over Grand Valley Voters

With early voting starting Monday and Election Day just days away, it's crunch time for the local Republican and Democratic parties as they make their final pushes to turn out the vote.

The parties say their goals for the next two weeks are to turn out their bases, and try to win over the 31,620 unaffiliated voters in our battleground county.

Republican commission candidate Janet Rowland took a quick breather from the campaign trail Sunday to attend a Mesa County Republicans fundraiser. But she says from here on out, it's full steam ahead as she and other Republicans work to get all of their candidates into office.

"Volunteers are making phone calls, going door-to-door, passing out literature, just making sure people get out to the polls and vote Republican," said Rowland.

Obama volunteer Nick Mayle spent his Sunday knocking on doors in neighborhoods near downtown Grand Junction. He says with early voting starting Monday and the election just days away, it's important to get out the Democrats' messages to the people of Mesa County.

"There's a large push, in Mesa County especially, to do things like this, to go out an cavas, make some phone calls, and make sure we get people out for Election Day," said Mayle.

With Senator Barack Obama making a stop in the Grand Valley last month, and Governor Sarah Palin set to stump on Monday, members of both parties say it's clear Mesa County is battleground territory -- making them more determined to carry the Valley for their individual parties.

"They think it's going to come down to a few thousand votes in Colorado," said Mayle. "So every vote counts."

While the parties say things like campaign ads, mailers, and signs will help them acheive their goals, it's the grassroots efforts -- people talking to people -- that will make the biggest difference.

"When you get out and talk to people, go door-to-door, make those phone calls they're more inclined to vote," said Rowland. "That's much more important, that face-to-face contact."

Some candidates are getting a little more creative when it comes to those grassroots efforts. They say they are asking volunteers and supporters to throw some campaign brochures in with the candy, as kids and parents make their rounds on Halloween.

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